Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Nicolas Sarkozy accused of derailing Turkey's bid to join EU

David Charter in Brussels

France has been singled out for criticism for derailing the process of Turkey’s accession to the EU and damaging its internal reforms in a report for the European Commission which calls for a return to serious negotiations on full membership for Ankara.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, was criticised for “negative statements” such as his call for partnership rather than integration with the EU, which have seen Turkish reformers lose momentum as the country’s future is left in limbo.

A vicious circle has been created as a result of snubs from France, Germany and Cyprus which has seen reform go into reverse and given further ammunition to those who oppose Turkey’s EU membership, said Martii Ahtisaari, the Nobel laureate and head of the Commission on Turkey.

Mr Ahtisaari also urged Turkey and Greece to use all their influence to bring about a positive conclusion to talks about the reunification of Cyprus, which he described as standing the best chance of success in a generation, which could give a massive boost to Turkey’s EU chances.